Article Library

Below is a listing of all The Outer Linearticles from the last few years – covering a wide range of critical issues in professional cycling. Download your own PDF copy of any article by clicking on the buttons below. The most recent articles are listed first.

The Performance and Effectiveness of the Cycliste Professionnels Associés (CPA): An External Audit and Review — a comprehensive independent review and analysis of the Cycliste Professionnels Associés (CPA) – professional road cycling’s athlete representation organization. The Outer Line takes an in-depth look at the current status and gaps within the CPA, and provides detailed recommendations for how to make it a more powerful voice for the riders in the future. (December, 2016)

Cycling TV – An Over The Top Revolution — we look at how pro cycling can turn its viewership model around, and increase profitability by adopting the on-demand Over-The-Top (OTT) web streaming model – similar to what many specialty broadcast channels like Netflix, and even some major sports leagues have already successfully done. (November, 2016)

Pay to Play? — UCI and ASO seem incapable of breaking their long standing stalemate over how the sport should be run, and as a result, their proxy war continues to dominate pro cycling’s political and governance landscape. So why did they agree to back-track, and decide to allow 18 teams in the 2017 WorldTour after all? (October, 2016)

Whither the Giro? — Rumors have recently circulated around the industry that both ASO and the Chinese Wanda Group have expressed interest in acquiring the Giro. Will new ownership of the parent RCS Mediagroup make a possible deal for the Giro more likely, or less likely? (October, 2016)

Treating or Cheating? The TUE Question — is the TUE is a fair means of preserving health and equitable career opportunities, or is it simply another loop-hole which can be exploited by certain athletes, eager to win at any cost. We talk to a range of medical experts to assess the current controversy. (October, 2016)

Black and White Anti-Doping Fight Nears Stalemate – Here’s How to Break It — a guest editorial written by the anti-doping researcher Dr. Paul Dimeo of the University of Stirling in the United Kingdom. He reviews the current controversies in different approach to controlling doping, and recommendations for how to solve the current fix. (September, 2016)

Calling Time Out On the Team Time Trial — the AIGCP announces that it will boycott the Team Time Trial to be held at the upcoming World Championship in Qatar. This potential walkout highlights the teams’ growing discontent with the UCI, and their frustration with not having enough input in how to run their own businesses – but can they make it stick? (August, 2016)

Academia’s Role in Anti-Doping – In Microcosm and Big Picture — a look at the recent hiring and then rapid dismissal of Dr. Paul Dimeo as Chairman of USA Cycling’s newly formed anti-doping committee. What happened, what could have been done better, and what can this unfortunate event teach us as cycling tries to strengthen its anti-doping strategies. (July, 2016)

UCI Scorecard: Are the CIRC Recommendations Being Implemented? — The Outer Line takes an in-depth look at what progress the UCI has made, in terms of implementing the recommendations of the March, 2015 Cycling Independent Reform Commission (CIRC) Report. (July, 2016)

A Crazy Idea, or a Sure Bet? — some speculations on how star riders could reinvent the team organization model and create new sponsorship initiatives in pro cycling. It’s an area that cries out for creative rethinking. In many other sports, the athletes themselves have forced change – by mobilizing their influence, changing the balance of power, and pushing forward new business models. (June, 2016)

The Athletes’ Commission: Traksel Gaining Traction — an interview with former racer Bobbie Traksel, who has just been elected President of the UCI’s Athletes Commission. Traksel talks about his perspective on where the sport is today, and how to strengthen the voice of the riders in the future. (April, 2016)

Breaking Away – From the Tour de France — Is the Tour de France the key event in pro cycling, or is an anchor holding the sport back? There is a way to break ASO’s deadlock on the sport’s power structure, and move pro cycling towards a more sustainable economic system, that expands revenue potential and creates a model for equitable profit sharing. (February, 2016)

Full Circle: Cycles in American Track Racing — an historical review and analysis of decline of track racing in the United States, and some recommendations for what it will take to bring the sport back. (January, 2016)

ASO’s Game of Monopoly — ASO says the move to pull its races out of the WorldTour will preserve an open and more competitive sport. But closer analysis shows that it will inflict severe economic pressure on the teams and marginalize the economic aspirations of the riders – while further strengthening ASO’s competitive advantage. (December, 2015)

Fiddling While Rome Burns? — the UCI announces its latest set of marginal reforms, and ASO fires off its latest salvo – threatening to pull out of the WorldTour – as an emerging Chinese sports and entertainment giant begins to sniff around the world of pro cycling. (December, 2015)

New Twists on Sponsorship: Good or Bad? — Sponsorship has always been the critical financial under-pinning of professional cycling, and is always something of an economic gamble. Recent sponsorship deals at Dimension Data and Etixx-Quickstep tweak some of the traditional models. (October, 2015)

Leading By Example: A Discussion With Marco Pinotti — Now a coach with Team BMC and a member of the UCI’s Pro Cycling Council, Marco Pinotti was one of the most respected racers in the pro peloton over the past decade. Here, we get his opinion on several of the structural and organizational challenges facing the sport. (October, 2015)

Kill Your Television — a detailed look at the role television has played in the growth of pro cycling, the challenges of controlling costs and developing new content, and how new distribution models may impact the televising of the sport in the future. (September, 2015)

Changing Gears: How a Stronger Union Could Improve Pro Cycling — a look back at why a strong rider’s association has never developed in pro cycling, and how a stronger union could help not only the individual athletes, but also the overall sport, to develop greater economic sustainability. (August, 2015)

Pro Cycling’s Family Feud – and How to Solve It — the coming battle between ASO and the other key stakeholders in the sport – the teams and the UCI – for supremacy in pro cycling, and some constructive ideas for how to solve this long-running feud in the sport. (July, 2015)

The International Pro Cycling League (IPCL) – An Overview — a summary of The Outer Line’s comprehensive business plan and financial forecast for a new, independently-owned pro cycling league, and a full set of background assumptions and changes to restructure and revitalize pro cycling. (June, 2015)

Andy Hampsten: Looking Back and Looking Forward — an in-depth discussion with the 1988 Giro d’Italia winner – still the only American winner of that Grand Tour – and his thoughts and insights about where pro cycling is headed in the future. (May, 2015)

Home Sweet Home: How U.S. Racing Can Reshape Pro Cycling — an in-depth review of American men’s road racing, current and historical challenges, and interviews with key race promoters and organizers. A wide ranging discussion of ideas and recommendations for strengthening and rebuilding the historical popularity of American pro cycling. (May, 2015)

The World Championships: An Opportunity to Change U.S. Cycling – a look at the upcoming UCI World Road Racing Championships to be held in Richmond, Virginia in September 2015; an interview with Tim Miller, the CEO of Richmond 2015, and a discussion of how this event can be leveraged to strengthen the U.S. cycling environment. (May, 2015)

The Path to Parity – a review of the challenges and opportunities presented by professional women’s bike racing; a look at the emerging Women’s Cycling Association, and a discussion of various ideas and strategies for growing the sport in the future. (March, 2015)

The CIRC Report – A Missed Opportunity — The Outer Line weighs in on the recent report of the Cycling Independent Reform Commission, pointing out both the positive findings and conclusions of the report as well as the shortcomings – particularly in terms of its future recommendations. (March, 2015)

Out of Africa: How MTN-Qhubeka’s Model May Change Pro Cycling — a story about MTN-Qhubeka – an emerging South African team driven by a different and unique philosophy – one which may eventually impact pro cycling at the highest level, and help to evolve the sport towards a more sustainable model. (February, 2015)

Team Optum: A Model for the Future? — a story about Team Optum, (presented by Kelly Benefit Strategies) – a domestic U.S. team which offers a sustainable model of both competitive success and sound business management. (December, 2015)

Changing the Business Model (6): Rethinking the Governance of Pro Cycling — discussion and recommendations of new approaches for the oversight and governance of professional cycling. (December, 2014)

Changing the Business Model (5): Setting a New Ethical Standard in Pro Cycling — ideas for how professional cycling could adopt a formal set of ethical standards for its riders, teams or governing officials. (December, 2014)

Changing the Business Model (4): A New Approach to Anti-Doping — some new ideas about anti-doping, and a broad conceptual outline for the application of the professional certification model to pro sports – and the creation of an independent Cycling Certification Program. (November, 2014)

Changing the Business Model (3): Modernizing the Calendar and Competitive Structure — an examination of ideas for modernizing the way the game is organized and played – to promote greater economic stability and revenue growth, increase fan interest and global visibility, and encourage greater focus on the team. (November, 2014)

The Dog Ate My Homework — a brief discussion by Dr. William Apollo of the potential for false positives in dope testing and the intrinsic uncertainties of analytical testing – what causes this inherent ambiguity, what can we do to control it, and what types of test results should we perhaps not even be concerned about? (October, 2014)

Changing the Business Model (2): Building the Sponsorship Base — a discussion of pro cycling’s overwhelming dependence on commercial sponsorship for its financial viability – and how to identify, attract and retain larger and more global sponsors in the future. (October, 2014)

Changing the Business Model (1): Strengthening the Financial Foundation — this article analyzes the financial challenges and unique business uncertainties that cycling has historically faced, and suggests new strategies for generating greater revenue, and ways to share that revenue for the benefit of all of the sport’s stakeholders. (October, 2014)

Changing the Business Model of Pro Cycling: Introduction — The Outer Line begins a multi-part series of articles which will explore specific, innovative and actionable solutions to some of the economic, structural, ethical and governance challenges facing pro cycling. (September, 2014)

Anti-Doping: Is the Cure Worse Than the Disease? — Professors Paul Dimeo and Verner Møller assert that the current approach to anti-doping in pro cycling has resulted in an array of unintended consequences, inconsistent and inequitable application of the rules, and a situation where anti-doping efforts may actually be doing more harm than good. (September, 2014)

Perspectives on Doping in Pro Cycling – 3: Will Frischkorn – the retrospective of a clean rider competing in pro cycling’s modern doping era of the last fifteen years, recently retired Garmin racer Will Frischkorn shares his experiences and outlooks. (July, 2014)

Perspectives on Doping in Pro Cycling – 2: Inga Thompson – phenomenal 1980s and 1990s road racing prodigy Inga Thompson shares her perspectives and experiences in the womens’ peloton, and how she believes she was forced out for refusing to join a systematic doping program. (June, 2014)

Perspectives on Doping in Pro Cycling – 1: Theo de Rooij – first in a series of perspectives about doping and how it has affected professional cycling in the modern era: the experiences and insights of former Dutch racer and Rabobank team manager Theo de Rooij. (June, 2014)

Changing Pro Cycling: The Perspective of Travis T. Tygart – an in-depth interview with U.S. Anti-Doping Chief Travis Tygart, which includes his approach to fairness in sports, and the need for anti-doping education, prevention, and other changes to create a level playing field in professional cycling. (June, 2014)

Setting a New Ethical Standard in Pro Cycling – Like most professional sports, cycling has never adopted a formal set of ethical standards for its riders, teams or governing officials. In this post we discuss the advantages of ethics training and guidelines, and why sports should adopt incentives for athletes to do the right thing, even when “no one is looking.” (April, 2014)

Changing Pro Cycling: The Perspective of Hein Verbruggen – a detailed discussion about potential future solutions for various problems in pro cycling, with the former long-time President of the Union Cycliste International (UCI). (March, 2014)

Doped Athletes as Enhancement Models for the 21st Century – a paper by University of Texas Professor Dr. John Hoberman reviewing today’s array of personal enhancement products, society embracing doping as the norm due to advertising and media desensitization, and the challenges elite athletes face against this evolving doping landscape. (January, 2014)

Nineteen Eighty-Three – a critical discussion of the techniques of modern doping in cycling, and the historical time-frame which should be investigated by the UCI’s newly-minted Cycling Independent Reform Commission (CIRC). (January, 2014)

Pay Now, or Pay Later? – a critical analysis of the financial costs of conducting a full Truth and Reconciliation Commission process, versus the total long-term economic costs to professional cycling of proceeding ahead with a simpler, cheaper and less rigorous investigation. (January, 2014)

The Forgive Me Roadshow – a viewpoint and discussion of Lance Armstrong’s efforts to repair his public image following his doping admissions in early 2013, in contrast to the efforts of others to clean up sports. (December, 2013)

Cycling in the Balance: A Discussion with Michele Acquarone – a detailed discussion with the former Director of the Giro d’Italia about possible economic, structural and commercial changes to improve the future of pro cycling. (December, 2013)

Fair Treatment Through Comparative Justice – a brief discussion of the concept of comparative justice, and how it has been incorporated in historical truth and reconciliation commission processes. (November, 2013)

Independent Commission vs. Truth and Reconciliation Commission – a detailed explanation of the key attributes of the Truth and Reconciliation process, how it might be applied to pro cycling, and its advantages when compared historically to other less comprehensive types of investigative commissions. (November, 2013)

A Roadmap to Repair Pro Cycling – Overview: a summary of our detailed, specific and actionable plan to repair and grow the sport of pro cycling. (October, 2013)